Bed covering



ly 1953 L. w. MCCRORY BED COVERING Filed May 3, 1950 INVENTOR LOIS W. Mc CRORY ATTORNEYS Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED COVERING Lois W. McCrory, J eflerso'nville, Application May 3, 1950, Serial No. 159,830

9 Claims.

1 This invention relates to bed covering and more particularly to a pair of cooperating sheets for a bed, especially a childs crib.

An object of the invention is to provide a pair of cooperating sheets or similar bed covers that fasten together to form a sure wa inwhich a child or other occupant is assured of remaining covered.

An ancillary object is to provide bed covering of this character that is comfortable and does not put undue restraintup'on the sleeper.

Another object is to provide bed covering that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and that is easily handled in preparing a bed for occupancy. A child may be readily installed in and removed from the bed covering of the invention.

Another objects is to provide bed covering of the foregoing type that may be laundered in the ordinary way without requiring special attention.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as may appear more fully hereinafter, are achieved in bed covering including a bottom sheet having fastening elements defining a sleeping area and a cooperating top sheet having complementary fastening elements at least some of which are spaced laterally at substantially greater distances than the distances between the corresponding fastening elements of the bottom sheet. Such construction allows the bottom sheet to lie flat upon a bed mattress while the top sheet is accorded fullness to accommodate the body of asleeper lying between the sheets. Preferably the sheets are provided with borders outside of the sleeping area defined by the fastening elements permitting both the bottom and top sheets to be tucked under a mattress. Also, in the preferred form, the bottom sheet of the invention has box corners and grips the mattress securely and tightly to anchor the assembly of sheets to the bed.

The invention will be described in greater detail and other of its aims, objects and advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out in the following description of one embodiment as shown in the drawing in which: I

Fig. l is a face view of a bottom sheet looking at the upper surface thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary bottom view showing one end of the sheet depicted in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a face View of a cooperating'top sheet looking at the undersurface thereof; and

Fig. 413 an isometric view of the sheet members of Figs. 1 to 3 applied to the mattress of a bed, a portion being broken away.

and sewn together along the'seam lines l2 and i3 to provide a box-like configuration having dependent side panels I4 and I5 joined to the end panel t6, the latter having a flap I! that extends substantially beneath the mattress to which the sheet is applied. Both ends of the sheet are tailored in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The'side and end panels of the sheet preferably have sufficient depth to permit the sheet to be tucked under a mattressall around. I

Adjacent the foot l8 of the principal panel II, a reinforcing tape I9 of fabric is sewn parallel to the edge of the panel and extending substantially from side to side thereof. Reinforcing tape sections and 21 extend from the ends of the tape I9 along and adjacent side edges 22 and 23 of the principal panel, the tapes being line stitchedto the fabric of the sheet. The side tape sections 20 and 2i terminat short of the head end 24 of the principal panel by a distancesuflicient to provide comfortable head space. .Short lengths 25 and 26 of reinforcing tape extend inwardly from the head ends of the side tapes towards the center of the principal panel II and terminate at points 21 and 28 substantially spaced from the center of the principal panel; these lengths of tape are securely sewn to the fabric of the sheet.

Tie'tapes 29 and 30 are sewn to the reinforcing tape at the points 21 and 28. Similar tie tapes 3 I, 32, 33 and 34 are sewn to the reinforcing tape at the corners of the incomplete rectangle defined by thereinforcing tape. Intermediate tie tapes 35, 36, 31 and 38 are similarly affixed to the side reinforcing tape sections 20 and Hand an intermediate tie tape 39 is sewn to the center of the foot reinforcing tape section l9.

Referring to Fig. 3, the topfsheet shown is generally designated by the reference numeral 40. This element is a plane rectangular sheet having over-all dimensions substantially greater than the corresponding dimensions of the principal panel I I of the bottom sheet. It is provided with tie tapes that are complementary to the cooperating tie tapes 29 to 39 of'the bottom sheet, and

- these complementary tietapes are designated by similar primed reference numerals. The upper sheet has a foot reinforcing tape section l9, side reinforcing tape sections 20', 2|, and centrally extending tape lengths 25', 26 that correspond to the reinforcing tape sections of the bottom sheet as designated in Fig. 1 by corresponding unprimed reference numerals. The reinforcing tape and tie tapes are sewn to the upper sheet in a manner similar to that described hereinbefore with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

Comparing Fig. 3 with Fig. 1, it will be seen that the side reinforcing tape sections 20 and 2 I' of the top sheet have the same length as the side reinforcing tape sections 20 and 21 of the bottom sheet, but the former are spaced apart a greater distance than the latter. Thus, the foot reinforcing tape section IQ of the top sheet is somewhat longer than the foot reinforcing tape 19 of the bottom sheet. The centrally extending reinforcing tape sections 25' and 26 of the top sheet are the same length as the corresponding elements 25 and 26 of the bottom sheet, but, because of the wider spacing of the side tapes on the top sheet, the points 21 and 28 are spaced farther apart than the corresponding points 21 and 28 of the bottom sheet.

The top sheet M) has borders of substantial width lying outside of the incomplete rectangle outlined by the reinforcing tape. This, as will be seen, permits the side and foot borders of the top sheet to be tucked under a mattress and the head border to be folded down.

Referring to Fig. 4, the cooperating bottom and top sheets I8 and are shown in use. The reference numeral ll designates a conventional bed mattress. No bedstead is shown for the sake of simplicity of presentation, but, of course, one is usually employed in actual use.

The box-type bottom sheet is placed on the mattress 4|, the sheet being designed to fit the mattress snugly. The lower edges of the side and end panels are tucked under the mattress as shown at 42. The principal panel ll presents a substantially flat, smooth surface on top of the mattress which is desirable from the point of view of the sleepers comfort.

The top sheet 10 is laid over the bottom sheet with the complementary tie tapes of the top and bottomsheets in opposed relation and the coinplementary tie tapes are tied together as shown. The head border 13 is turned down and the side and foot borders are tucked under the mattress as seen at A l. This completes the preparation of the bed for occupancy.

A sleeper may get into the bed by untying the complementary tapes 29, 29 and 30, 30 and sliding into the space between the sheets. Thereafter, the tie tapes 29, 29 and 30, 30 are retied.

Alternatively, especially in the case of a very young child, one side or a portion thereof may be untied, the top sheet laid back, the child placed on the bottom sheet and the covers re-tied and tucked in.

It will be apparent that, because the tie tapes of the top sheet have a greater lateral spacing than the tie tapes of the bottom sheet, the top sheet will have .a certain fullness when the bed is made up whereby the top sheet conforms easily to the body of the sleeper. At the same time, the top sheet is securely fastened to the bottom sheet by the ties so that it cannot practically be thrown off by the sleeper. Also, the top sheet is tucked under the mattress outside of the sleeping area delineated by the arrangement of ties and even unusual restlessness of the sleeper fails to disturb the tucking of the top sheet.

The reinforcing tapes add strength of the assembly of sheets and minimize the possibility of tearing away tie tapes in ordinary usage. Moreover, the reinforcing tapes are placed near the edges of the bed where the sheets are subject to substantial wear and, in this position, the tapes tend to absorb the wear, thus increasing the life of the bed covering.

The foregoing detailed description is merely illustrative of the invention and variations may be made therefrom without departing from the invention. For example, the side reinforcing tape sections 20', 2| of the top sheet, need not be parallel; instead, the bottom reinforcing tape section 19' thereof may be the same length as the bottom reinforcing tape section 19 of the bottom sheet and the side reinforcing tape sections 20, 2 I may diverge towards the head of the top sheet to provide increasing fullness from the foot towards the head of the sheet.

Sheets in accordance with the invention may be designed for beds of any size.

Although complementary tie tapes are preferred because they are soft and do not cause discomfort to a sleeper, other types of complementary fasteners may be used to secure the top and bottom sheets together.

It will also be evident that the bottom sheet need not be of the box corner type; it may be a plan sheet having borders outside of the princi al panel that are wide enough to be tucked under the mattress for which the set of sheets is designed.

The term sheets is used herein in a generic sense to include other bed covers such as blankets. quilts, and the like.

I claim:

1. Bed covering comprising a bottom sheet having fastening elements defining a sleeping area and a cooperating top sheet overlying and separably secured to said bottom sheet having complementary separable fastening elements at least some of which are spaced laterally of said top sheet at substantially greater distances than the distances between the corresponding fastening elements of the bottom sheet.

2. Bed covering as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said sheets is of a Width sufficient to provide side border portions outside of the sleeping area that are foldable under the side edges of a mattress.

3. Bed covering comprising a bottom sheet of generally rectangular shape, fastening elements on said sheet positioned substantially inwardly of the edges thereof to define a rectangular sleeping area, a cooperating top sheet of generally rectangular shape overlying and separably secured to said bottom sheet, and complementary separable fastening elements on said top sheet positioned substantially inwardly of the edges of the top sheet to define a rectangular area having substantially the same length as and a greater width than said sleeping area.

4. Bed covering as defined in claim 3 wherein the head ends of said sheets are free from fastening elements for a substantial distance in the center to provide an opening for the head of a sleeper.

5. Bed covering comprising a bottom sheet of generally rectangular shape and having box corners, a line of fastening elements extending between the tops of the foot corners of said sheet, lines of fastening elements extending along the sides of said sheet from the tops of the foot corners towards the tops of the corresponding head corners, said side lines of fastening elements terminating short of the head corners and, lines of fastening elements extending from the terminal ends of said side lines towards the center line of the sheet and terminating substantially short of the center line; and a cooperating top sheet overlying and separably secured to said bottom sheet, said top sheet being of generally rectangular shape having lines of complementary separable fastening elements corresponding to those on said bottom sheet and positioned substantially inwardly of the edges of the top sheet, the side lines of complementary fastening elements of said top sheet being substantially coextensive in length with the side lines of fastening elements of said bottom sheet and being spaced apart laterally of said top sheet a greater distance than the lateral distance between the side lines of fastening elements of said bottom sheets 6. Bed covering as defined in claim 5 wherein said fastening elements are ties of textile mate rial. 1

7. Bed covering as defined in claim 6 wherein said ties of textile material are sewn to reinforcing tapes which are sewn, in turn, to the sheets.

8. Bed covering comprising a bottom sheet 25 1,767,812

having spaced ties of textile material defining a -6 sleeping area and a cooperating top sheet overlying and separably secured to the textile ties of :said bottom sheet having complementary ties of under the side edges of said bottom sheet, and

complementary separable fastening elements carried by said sheets along the bottom and sides,

thereof separably securing the sheets together.

LOIS W. MCCRORY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Date I 1,726,224 Handl Aug. 27, 1929 Gehrke June 24, 1930- 2,525,713 North Oct. 10, 1950 

